Olivier Cornet Gallery artist Yanny Petters created this sumptuous work for Sculpture in Context 2020 which, this year, could not be the outdoor exhibition or 'living art gallery' it has always been so far. The collection was presented online instead. Yet, many admired Yanny's exquisite combination of verre églomisé and birch wood. The piece was available here at the gallery for a short while until the National Museum of Ireland decided to acquire it for their collection in September 2020.

Habitats represented from left to right on the fan:

The Burren - Bloody Cranes Bill, Woodland - Bluebell, Grassland - Red Clover.

Bogs - Bog Bean, Heath - Bog Asphodel, Hedgerow - Bramble, Fen - Ragged Robbin, Sea Shore - Sea Campion, Wetland - Marsh Marigold

"The Hand fan has been known since the 2nd century especially in the Orient.

Used, not only as a way of cooling oneself in warm weather or to protect a lady's face from the extreme heat of an open fire, the hand fan was a popular decorative fashion accessory as well as a symbol of wealth. 

Fans were made from many different materials including ivory, feathers, paper, silk, wood, and plant materials.

As a portable work of art, often depicting flowers, landscapes and even portraits it is said that in European royal courts the fan was used to signal secret messages especially amongst the ladies. 

In recent times I have noticed more people carrying hand fans as we experience warmer summers due to climate change. I have chosen this decorative fashion object to carry a message about climate change and habitat loss, a common theme in my art work.

Each 'leaf' of my fan represents one of nine different Irish habitats. As climate change effects our environment, many habitats will be altered, causing the demise of plants. The overall effect of loss of habitat will be huge when biodiversity is damaged, causing loss of pollinators who depend on wild plants, the same pollinators we depend on for our food crops. 

The fashion industry has had a severe effect on the planet since the industrial revolution, climate change is the outcome. We can see habitat loss if we only look closely enough."

Yanny Petters, July 2020

Another work by the artist was recently acquired by the National Gallery of Ireland. Check it out here.